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In a powerful and heartfelt speech at a youth summit in Taita Taveta County, Dr. Ekrah Ndung’u, the Chairperson of the Kenya National Association of Private Colleges (Kenapco), shed light on the unique challenges facing today’s youth.
Speaking to an audience of 650 high school students from various schools across the county, Dr. Ndung’u expressed her deep concern and empathy for the generation growing up in an increasingly complex and unpredictable world.
“Thank you, Taita Taveta County, for trusting me with your high-schoolers. It is a great honor to speak to a generation that is more self-aware and exposed than we were,” Dr. Ndung’u began, acknowledging the heightened awareness and exposure of today’s youth compared to previous generations.
She pointed out the profound impact of global events, such as pandemics, on young people, often overlooked until one engages with them on a personal level. “This is a generation that has gone through serious pandemics that no one imagines they’re affected until you drop the mask and have a conversation with them from their perspective,” she noted, highlighting the emotional toll these crises have taken on the youth.
Dr. Ndung’u also touched on the effects of family dynamics, particularly the rising rates of parental separation, on young people. She described the current generation as “an angry and bitter generation for the challenges they’ve gone through or they’ve been made to go through from those they trust.” This, she suggested, has left many young people struggling to navigate a world that is often indifferent and lacking in the nurturing support that previous generations experienced.
In her address, Dr. Ndung’u emphasized the volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) nature of the world in which today’s youth are growing up. She contrasted this with the past, where adults played a more nurturing role in the lives of young people, often providing guidance and support even when they were strangers. “Our world had nurturing adults who were strangers,” she reflected, lamenting that today’s youth are often left confused by adults who say one thing but do another.
Despite the challenges, Dr. Ndung’u offered a message of hope and encouragement, urging society to respond with compassion and understanding. “This generation just needs a little bit of love, guidance, a pat on their backs, and a proper introduction to God,” she concluded, advocating for a more supportive and caring approach to helping young people navigate the complexities of modern life.
Dr. Ndung’u’s remarks resonated deeply with the audience, serving as a poignant reminder of the importance of empathy, consistency, and love in guiding the next generation through an ever-changing world.
